Adding gray to the rainbow: NIA’s support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender research

While we are beginning to understand the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities through medical research, one area that needs attention is research on the health of older LGBT Americans.

Research on the aging of LGBT populations

Most of the data we have is based on small studies that are not nationally representative. Older bisexuals, transgender individuals, LGBT persons of color, and the “oldest old” (ages 85 and older) in these populations are significantly under-studied. We do know, however, that bisexuals and transgender people experience worse health outcomes across all domains. For example, transgender people are roughly ten times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population.

Efforts such as the recent NIA-supported Caring and Aging with Pride study, the first national, federally funded project examining LGBT aging and health, are providing us with the beginnings of a solid knowledge base—but we still have a long way to go.

Funding opportunities

We also participate in trans-NIH funding opportunity announcements (R01, R03, R21) supporting research to understand the role of stigma in health, life course development, and aging, both in the U.S. and globally, and research to test interventions that might prevent or reduce the impact of stigma at the individual, community, health care system, and policy levels. Although these opportunities aren’t specific to LGBT populations, such research is relevant, particularly for older lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transpeople whose sexual orientation and/or gender identity has been stigmatized for much of their lives.

The NIH LGBTI Research Coordinating Committee was formed in response to these recommendations, to:

develop and coordinate potential research and training activities

assess relevant past and ongoing activities across NIH

develop recommendations for new activities focused on research and training

I help to lead this group. The NIH Committee’s initial report, including a comprehensive analysis of NIH activities in this area, can be found here (PDF 0.66 MB).

NIH strategic plan for research on LGBTI populations in progress

The Committee is currently developing the first-ever NIH strategic plan for research on LGBTI populations. We’re doing this by gathering as much information as we can, through:

analyses of the NIH and individual Institute research portfolios

responses to a formal Request for Information that we issued last fall

multiple listening sessions, during which we meet with key stakeholders in the LGBTI communities to gain input on issues like training and transgender health research

We anticipate that the Plan will be completed soon. It will inform our research planning and serve as a road map for NIH to ensure that the benefits of publicly funded research extend to all Americans.

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A critical issue for our community and our healthcare and social services providers. Pleased to see NIA investing resources to increase our knowledge of what our elders need and want. Would be interested in learning if any North Carolina investigators are funded.

Posted by Kate Nagy on May 12, 2014 - 11:19 am

Thanks so much, Sharlene. When awards are funded, projectreporter.nih.gov will have the details. You can search by state.